Sarah Darling tries on a beautiful wedding dress. Is it “the one”? Follow this Great American Country blog series to find out which one she chose for the big day! Photo by Sara Kauss Photography.

Sarah Darling and James Muriel tied the knot in a secret spur-of-the-moment ceremony back in April — but they’re still planning a big Nashville wedding in May 2014 to celebrate with family and friends! Sarah’s sharing her personal wedding diary exclusively with Great American Country. She’ll take us along on the whole journey, from the dress to the flowers to the big day. Check back every other Wednesday for a new post from Sarah!

The Dress
For most girls, it’s all about the wedding dress. I fall in that category for sure. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been drawn to puffy party dresses! When you get married, it gives you a chance to be a princess for a day. Who doesn’t want the Princess Kate fairytale? Plus, James is British!

Deciding on a dress has been one of the hardest decisions so far. You always hear brides say that you will just know when you find ‘The One!’ But there are so many options! You have the mermaid, which I’ve never felt fit my personality, but I love it on everyone else. You have the big princess ball gown dress, which I love, but have a feeling I won’t be able to move on the dance floor — and that’s a deal breaker for me. This girl likes to dance! Then there’s the A-line dress…right between princess and ball gown, which I think is perfect for me! My style is very “Anthropologie”-like, so I’ve tracked down a few dresses that fit me and my style like a glove.

The venue is also important. Certain dresses fit certain scenes. James and I are getting married at what I think is one of the most beautiful venues on the planet! It’s very country/bohemian-like, so I’m hoping the dresses I’ve picked will fit that scene. Check out Front Porch Farms and tell me what you think!

When it comes to dress shopping, the first important step is to create a budget. You will find yourself wanting the more expensive dress, trust me! Also remember that it takes up to 6 months to get your dress after it’s ordered so don’t wait too long. The MOST important thing of all is going to the shop with your bff! My best friend, Sara Kauss, knows my style perfectly and I know she’ll always tell me the truth about how something looks on me. Not to mention, it gives you a chance to drink champagne and be girly!

I had always imagined myself in tulle, and turns out I’ve found a couple that I love. I also wanted a very bohemian vibe to the dress, with maybe some floral detailing. I plan on wearing a very hippie floral crown. I suggest going on Style Me Pretty for inspiration. This is where I found a gem of a designer, Anais Anette. Also Jim Hjelm is a very cool designer as well. There are so many options so I suggest taking the time to decide. Don’t make a hasty decision. I keep hearing these stories of women who buy several dresses. That could get pricey! When you see something you love, save the photo and then go back and look at it a few times before you buy.

Having a Pinterest account to pin all of your wedding inspiration is essential. [Follow Sarah's wedding boards here and here -- and follow Great American Country's wedding board here.] Weddings can be overwhelming. I’ve found that the best thing for me is making a checklist. You can find standard wedding ones online with our friend Google. It will help you know what you should have done in each particular month. You don’t want to wait until the last minute or you may get stressed. Plus nobody wants bags under their eyes on the big day due to lack of sleep!

Let’s not forget the bridesmaids dresses. This is a touchy subject for me because I had a hard time finding ones that I like.

It seems you end up buying dresses that your girls can only wear once! Then I realized maybe I should put my favorite girls in my favorite brand, so my bridesmaids are wearing a beautiful dress from Anthroplogie.com and that makes me happy! I’m using wildflowers and spring colors so to complement, I chose beautiful soft pink lace dresses. If you are like me, that could be a fun idea for you.

When it comes to looking at flower girl dresses, this might be my favorite thing on the planet. What’s cuter?! There are plenty of sites out there but I found some great affordable options at David’s Bridal. I haven’t decided on one just yet but I’m thinking I will like tulle to match the dress I will be wearing. That’s the only hint I’m giving on which dress I choose!

Thank you for joining me on blog number 2! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years! I think 2014 is going to be the best yet. It’s a fresh start! I will be working on these wedding details that I’ve been putting off. My next blog post will be all about flowers! Oh so pretty!

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